In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory
Of My Brother
Henry Rolland "Tad" Harrington
December 31, 1937 ~ July 29, 1969.
He Was Born 71 Years Ago Today At Silver Creek, Nebraska.

Life To Him Was An Adventure, I Was Able To
Share Many Of Them With Him. My Only Regret,
He left Us Before My Children Got to Know Him
As Their Uncle.

He Would Have Loved The HITW, You Think
I Pull Practical Jokes ~ He Was My Teacher!

So Many Stories ~ So Many Memories

In Loving Memory

In loving Memory to my Mother.
On this date, ninety five years ago,
she was born to Fred and Ella Riley in
Silver Creek, Nebraska.

She would have loved camping at the Hole In the Wall.
Although she would have made a great camp cook,
just do not eat her pancakes with boiled water and sugar
syrup.

She was a special lady but best of all,
she was my mother.

Christmas at HITW

As we viewed the humble tree
a lot the lights did tell us.
For around that tree the love was free
and would have made Chuck Brown jealous.

It may not be spectacular.
It may not scream of gold.
Our little tree with love around
made a story to be told.

Upon the wall the heater burned
and warmed our foot and hand
but the joy I felt on Christmas eve
could have warmed the entire land.

As goodies left upon a plate
were a picture of good cheer,
there were cookies for the jolly elf
and corn chips for his deer.


The gifts were opened by the girls,
we had coffee in our cups.
The dogs got some Christmas treats
and, even, some new pups.

A warmest thanks to Stan and Terry
for putting forth so much.
It never would have been so grande
without their special touch.

To gather and exchange some gifts
- the time with spirits furled -
Was closeness that cannot be matched
with anything of this world.

A warm thank you to all of those
who shared their precious time.
This Christmas meant so much to me
with love and peace sublime.

Be safe and have a happy new year, clans.
Looking forward to many more hours
with you this coming year.

Did someone say, "Fire"?

Our First Christmas at the HITW

Christmas Eve

• Wolf Den – Chili Dinner, Drinks, daycare and a place for people to warm up.
• Bear Den- Decorate the Family Christmas Tree
• Fire Pit - Holiday Cheer and maybe some carols.

Christmas Day

• Eagle Nest -Christmas Dinner around 3pm? (call her about food)
• Wolf Den - Snacks, Drinks, daycare, and a place to warm up.
• Bear Den - gift exchange ... with a twist. Your gifts must be used.

Gift exchange rules!

Everyone playing brings a gift and we do it all at once, Kids included this time (there are only 4 young ones now)... I would love nothing better than to get a truck (or a pair of pretty princess shoes) from Buddy.

• Say maybe you have something lying around the house that you always think of someone in family when you look at it… Wrap it up.
• Say maybe you borrowed something from someone in the family and never returned it… wrap it up.
• Say maybe you have a REALLY ugly tacky thing that you never liked… wrap it up.
• Say maybe something useful you never use… wrap it up.
• Say maybe something beautiful you are tired of dusting…wrap it up.
• Say maybe you already bought gifts (ha! like we are that prepared)…wrap them up.
• Say maybe someone left something at your place and never retrieved it… wrap it up.
  

We draw Numbers… #1 one goes first, #2 can steal or pick a new, so on and so forth… after 3 steals the gift is safe and can no longer be stolen. If a gift is stolen, person who was robbed gets to choose to steal or open a new one at the time of theft. They may not steal back the gift that was stolen (not at that time, if their gift gets stolen again and the thing they want is not safe they may then get it back).

**** and NO PETS as gifts....unless you want not one but TWO wiener dogs.

*Only Heidi retains the right to change rules.

And since the kids are playing, I hope the adults, will be adults and not break a child's heart on Christmas.

Merry Christmas

As the snow is falling and a good north wind howling, the Eagles are comfortable and warm in their nest.

Good memories of the past fill our thoughts and we want to wish all of you our best.

To the Bear, Buffalo, Wolf, "Pope", Wood Pecker, Raven, Lynx, and Beaver Clan we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.

But what is that noise I hear, I raise from my recliner to see what is a matter, from my window I peer, to see a red sleigh not being towed by tiny reindeer but by four Moose just clearing the trees.

A circle they did fly, as I ran to the loft to see them go by. So I could see, I had to rub the ice off the pane.
Just in time to see them bank hard right and make a perfect approach on Bronco Lane.

As the Sled came to screeching stop in front of the fire pit,
It was amazing, a roaring fire appeared in just a bit.

I could hear talking and laughter fill the night fire glow. Children shrieking with joy as they played in the snow.

I wonder to myself, who could these intruders be?
Grabbing my shotgun, I head for the trees.

Peering down from the bluff, I cannot believe what I see. All of the Clans have gathered to share the season glee.

As if by magic, lawn chairs appeared around the fire and the table laden with treats.

I stood amazed, that they could all fit in that one tiny sleigh pulled by the Moose.
To the nest I did go back
and put my shotgun back into the rack.

With Granny in hand, down the hill we did trek
To all those that don't believe we say go to heck! We had just seen Santa deliver our gifts and we believe.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL